Weedrobes: Fashion made from flowers

Camellia Countessa is a wearable garment made entirely from leaves, branches and flowers. The design is based on the French Pannier (basket) dress, which where originally constructed from Willow branches. (Camellia Flowers, Lilac Flowers, Yucca Leaves, Laurel Leaves, Willow branches and Thorns)

Nicole Dextras

Six years ago, Nicole
Dextras found a bundle of laurel leaves in an alleyway behind
her house; and decided to fashion a coat from them.

This one eco garment has led to the creation of the Weedrobes collection -- which includes everything from
shoes cut from cabbage leaves to Camellia Countessa -- a flower
gown fit for royalty.

Dextras first worked with clothing for her series Iceshifts -- for which she photographed gowns frozen in
five-foot blocks of ice, which were then illuminated at night. This
project, coupled with a "fascination with Andy Goldsworthy's work
with thorns and leaves", led to the idea of creating clothes from
plants and flowers.

She told Wired.co.uk: "My materials are chosen by what is in
season and what I am allowed to pick. I have used flowers and
plants from my garden but also wild and invasive species that grow
in unused areas of the city. I have also been known to knock on
strangers' doors and ask if I can pick the berries in their tree."

Once she has her materials, Dextras sketches her designs by hand
but sometimes uses Photoshop to decide where to photograph them -- often using
urban settings to "emphasise the impact of humans on the natural
environment".

The artist then sends models wearing her creations out to meet
the public where they can engage with passers-by "regarding issues
of disposable consumer goods". The garment is then left to decay --
which can take as little as two days after creation. Dextras
explains: "The decaying aspect of my art is very much part of the
process. My artwork is about having an authentic experience of
nature, one where we are not separate from the natural world and
one where there is beauty in all of life's cycles.

"The modern expectation of humans staying perpetually youthful
and fresh is not only unrealistic but the cosmetics and fashion industries are laughing at us all the way
to the bank."

Dextras is now considering making Weedrobes for models of all
ages -- so if you fancy bringing some flower power to your
wardrobe, head to British Columbia and sniff out the new
designs.